A New Discovery
by ZizhunWriter
Summary: Henry hadn't known he was adopted until he overheard his mother say so. Yet, his discovery makes so much sense.


**Author's Notes: If you love Regina, this may not be for you. This story is set during the curse, before Henry is aware it exists.**

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 _Adopted._ The word seemed to grow and grow until it was the only thing in his head. Adopted. How could one word explain so much?

"No, I did not tell him about it!" Henry's mother snapped, bringing his attention back to the conversation he was accidently overhearing. "Why would I tell him that the woman who gave birth to him didn't want him?"

Henry couldn't stand there a second longer. He dashed away from the kitchen, not even knowing who his mother had been talking to, and made a beeline for his room. He closed his door softly, careful not to slam it and make his mother furious.

It was only then, in the safety of his room, that he started to cry. He wiped away the tears from his face while looking around his room for something to ground him. There were his comics and the heroes within them, but even they couldn't save him from this. He was adopted.

Henry's entire world had been turned on its side, but it made more sense from this angle. Maybe that was why his mom didn't have much time to spend with him, or wasn't patient with him. He'd always assumed she was just busy being mayor, but there was more to it than that. Why would she waste her time on a child who wasn't her own? He'd already been given up by his first mom. Why would anyone else want to put in the effort?

The answer was, of course, that no one would. He was unwanted. He wasn't good enough. He hadn't been for his birth mother and he wasn't for Regina. He'd known he wasn't good enough of a son for a while, but now he knew why. There had to be something wrong with him if he'd been abandoned.

It was then he heard the footsteps. He froze, wiping his tears away more vigorously. How could he explain to his mom that he'd found out why she didn't like being around him? She hadn't wanted him to know; he'd just disappoint her even more.

When the knock came, Henry realized it wasn't her. His mom never knocked; she just barged right in. The footsteps should have alerted him; they'd been gentle thuds instead of the clicking of high heels. He'd just been too upset to notice. "Who is it?" he asked, trying to keep all hints of distress out of his voice.

"It's Archie." Before the psychiatrist had time to ask for admittance, Henry had opened the door and pulled him inside. The last thing he wanted was for his mother to realize he'd been crying. But since it was Archie, the thought of his reaction didn't even cross Henry's mind. Henry could tell Archie anything.

"Henry, what's wrong?" His face was filled with concern, and that was all the prompting Henry needed.

"I heard my mom talking in the kitchen, and … I'm adopted." Saying it felt so much worse than thinking it. A huge lump had formed in his throat, to go along with the pain in his chest. "I'm adopted and no one really wants me."

Archie didn't even hesitate for one second. "I want you Henry. I care about you."

Henry just shook his head, backing away ever so slightly. Archie had never lied to him before, and he didn't know why he'd start now. But it was still impossible to believe. Henry finally had something to explain why his mother treated him the way she did. Archie had to be wrong. Maybe he didn't know what Henry meant.

"Archie, my real mom didn't want me. So she … gave me away." He had to wipe more tears away that were slipping down his face, unbidden. "My mom doesn't want me either. She never spends time with me, and when she does …" Henry trailed off. He couldn't vocalize that she ignored him unless he was doing something wrong or she'd decided she wanted to spend time with him. He couldn't explain how that affected him. After all, he now knew that was his fault. "It's because I'm not good enough. I'll never be good enough." Saying that was easier than he'd expected. He'd known that for his whole life, after all. He had never been good enough for his mom; now he just knew why.

This time Archie paused, and for a second it looked like he was going to cry. The moment passed quickly, and Henry decided he must have imagined it. "Henry, you're good enough. You're more than good enough. Being adopted … it doesn't make you any less of a person. If your birth mother didn't want you, it wasn't because you weren't good enough. It was because she was unable to take care of you."

Archie looked like he was telling the truth, but it was so hard to believe him. "If being adopted isn't a bad thing, then why didn't Mom tell me? And why doesn't she …" _care about me?_

Henry was fairly certain by the look on Archie's face that he'd heard the part Henry couldn't quite say out loud. He'd never seen Archie look so upset before. "Your mother didn't know how this would affect you. She made a mistake. Adults make mistakes sometimes." Henry's mother never made mistakes though. You didn't become mayor of a town by making mistakes. The only mistake was that Henry had found out the terrible truth.

"Henry, she loves you. She just … isn't always the best at showing it. But that doesn't mean you aren't good enough. You're perfect just the way you are."

Part of Henry rebelled against that statement. He couldn't be perfect, not when two different mothers had decided he wasn't worth their time. But there was something about the way Archie said it that made Henry certain it was true. There was a level of sincerity and seriousness in Archie's voice that he'd never really heard before.

Still, he couldn't quite believe it. Not yet. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." That was enough for Henry to launch himself at Archie, letting the older man wrap him up in a hug. Maybe Archie was right. Maybe he was good enough. At least he was good enough for Archie. Henry didn't know what he'd do if Archie ever decided Henry wasn't worth his time.

"I like you." Henry had never told Archie that before, but it was important for him to know. He didn't just love Archie. You could love someone, and still not like them. You could still chose everything else over them. But, he liked Archie, and he wanted to spend time with him. It was more than love.

"I like you too, Henry." From the way he said it, Henry was fairly certain that Archie didn't understand what he meant; not really. He didn't know how much importance Henry placed on the idea of liking someone.

Before he could explain, his mother's voice interrupted them, and he pulled away from Archie quickly. "Did you ask him?" she questioned. Her voice was kind today, she didn't seem to be mad. Yet.

"Er, no. Not yet," Archie stated truthfully. Henry was suppressed that Archie hadn't stood up yet. He was still at Henry's eye level, even though Regina was standing, tall and stiff. This was why it was so easy for Henry to look up to Archie, and impossible for him to look up to his own mother. She didn't help him reach her height like Archie did. "Henry, your mother and I were talking, and … we thought it might be a good idea if you came to talk to me once a week. As … a session."

A session. He'd be just like one of the crazy people Archie helped every day. But one look at Archie's face told Henry it wouldn't be like that. They were still friends, and Archie would never think he was crazy. Archie didn't just love him, he liked him.

"Okay." Archie looked surprised that he'd agreed so readily, but his mother just smiled.

"Don't worry Henry. Archie will help you feel better." She was right in that regard. Archie would always help him feel better; and he did it without blaming Henry for how he felt. "Maybe then you'll stop moping and be my happy little boy, hmm?"

She was smiling and Henry knew she was trying to reassure him in her own way, but he couldn't stop from thinking he was failing her by not being happy. Still, he nodded, trying to let her words achieve their intended purpose. It didn't work that well, all he could think about was how he failed her.

"We'll figure out why you're feeling the way you're feeling," Archie spoke up, drawing Henry's attention back to him. It was okay to be sad, Archie's eyes were saying. They looked just as sad as Henry felt.

"Yes, thank you Archie," Regina said dismissively, and only then did Archie rise.

"I'll see you later, Henry."

"Bye Archie." With one backward glance, Archie left, heading down the stairs.

"I'm going to see him out." Regina started to leave his room, but paused in the doorway. "Sessions will be good for you," she stated, yet again trying to help him, before she finally left him alone.

Somehow, Archie had managed to turn his tears into a slight smile. Perhaps sessions would be good for him. He could learn why adoption wasn't that bad, and why he was so upset. But, most importantly, sessions would mean he would get to spend more time with Archie; the man he liked more than anyone else. Yes, sessions would help Henry; just not in the way his mom wanted them to.

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 **Scarletclarinet (who you can find on Tumblr) and my sister beta read for me. Thanks so much guys!**


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